Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1862 to raise money for the Civil War. This new act put a 2¢ tax on bank checks. While most paid the tax by affixing a 2¢ stamp to the check, Congress also authorized Revenue Stamped Paper where the stamp is printed right on the check, like this…
Franklin D. Roosevelt, a passionate stamp collector and US president, played a remarkably hands-on role in stamp design during his presidency. He would sketch simple but imaginative designs and submit them for consideration.
The American Civil War was not only a conflict of armies but also a clash of cultures and resources. Among the most poignant and collectible artifacts from this era are adversity covers and patriotic covers.
The Pan-American Inverts are among the most storied and coveted errors in US philately. They capture both the drama of early 20th-century printing and the excitement of the Pan-American Exposition of 1901.
This Virginia City Pony Express cover carried more than mail – it carries the weight of a scandal that rocked 19th-century America. Sent to Clara C. Crittenden in 1864, it…
Oops! We left Micronesia tropical fish postage stamp sheets on top of a cabinet under a ceiling light and THIS happened! You can easily see which ones were protected under…
Did you know Texas used to have a “marihuana” tax, even though the substance is illegal in the state? The tax was only in place from 1989-2016, and made tax…
At first glance, you might think this stamp has been canceled… But it’s actually a small mistake that sometimes appears on overprinted stamps. During the overprinting process, a hair got…
The United Service Organization (USO) does a lot to support our soldiers. That includes making sure they can send mail home without worrying about postage. Here’s an example of a…